And little brother nearly made his NHL debut when starter Steve Mason appeared to suffer a significant head injury in the third period. Mason remained in the game after defenseman Jack Johnson checked the Avs’ Jamie McGinn into the goalie after an unsuccessful breakaway bid by the Avs forward.

“For a second there, I thought I was going in,” Shawn Hunwick said.

Hunwick, a former walk-on at the University of Michigan, where his brother starred, completed an impressive four-year career with the Wolverines last month before signing a free-agent contract with the Blue Jackets on March 28.

He entered the day third on the depth chart, behind Mason and Allen York. York suffered an injury in the morning skate, giving Hunwick the opportunity to don equipment for the game.

At last month’s NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional in Green Bay, Wis., Hunwick and top-seeded Michigan lost to Cornell 3-2 in overtime, just after the University of Denver lost to Ferris State.

Footnotes. Dawg Nation, a local beer-league hockey team that prides itself on fundraisers for hockey players in need, gave Cody Beekman of Thornton a check for $13,000 during pregame ceremonies. Public-address announcer Alan Roach announced the gift as Beekman, 21, looked on with his parents. Beekman, a former Hyland Hills Hockey Association standout, suffered paralyis after being struck by a drunk driver in October. … Scratched for the Avalanche were forwards Kevin Porter and Chuck Kobasew and defensemen Ryan Wilson and Stefan Elliott.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyreek Hill didn’t know what to do when he started hearing thousands of people in Arrowhead Stadium chanting his name, even as he stood all alone on the frozen turf waiting for the punt.